Sheet sign for application to articles



p 1 1933- J. s. MITCHELL 1,926,685

snaa'r sIqN FOR APPLICATIQN TO ARTICLES Filed Dec. 14, 1929 EXPOSEDFAGE J4 I TRANSMRENT BASE INK BAEKGROUND CEMENT ARTICLECA ING APPLIED IJE N 7 EXP06EDFACE I MOISTURE PROoFm M 1 'LAYEK 1 TRANsPARcumELL- Y u as: SHEET INK 16 J6 J9 BACKGROUND EXPOSED FACE RoTzci-lvc LAYERS 7 F D 21 22 sum As mo- CELLUL TRANSPARENT mm- SUCH AS cmums:

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Patented Sept. 12, 1933 v 11,926,685 1' UNITEDYSTATES PATENT orricr.

SHEET SIGN FGR, APPLICATION TO ARTICLES John s. Mitchell, Chicago, n1.

Application December 14, 1929 Serial No. 414,164

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-135) The present invention relates to coated'ink drawing is an illustration of the exemplary emimpressions such as signs, labels, insignia, etc., bodiments chosen to explain the nature of the that are prepared in sheets and secured inplace invention and the manner in which I prefer to by a cementing agent. carry it out in practice. 5 Decalcomania transfers have been used and are In the drawing, 60

being used for such purposes, such as placing de- Fig. 1 represents a rounded article in crosssigns on furniture, labels on metal,. signs and section, taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 4, bearing a sheet markings on automobile bodies and other similar sign of this invention with a finishing coating uses. It is customary in some instances to use a extending continuously over the sign and the finishing coat on the article having an applied article. I 65 design, the coat being a covering which is continu-- Fig. 2 is a cross-section of sheet sign showing ous over the article and over the design. one manner. of constructing it- The decalcomania transfers are made by print- Fig. 3, is a modified form.

ing, lithographing or otherwise applying a design Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the sign shown onto a gummed surface of a sheet of paper. The in Fig. 1. design is then coated with a backing which may I It is :to be understood that the drawing is diabe varnish or lacquer at which backing it is angrammatic and exaggerated in proportions for v chored to an article. On wetting the paper'the the purpose of illustrating the invention. It is gumis dissolved, the paper removed and the design not to be construed as limiting the invention as exposed. Such a design is injured or subjected to will appear hereinafter.

injury when a lacquer or varnish coat is applied The invention contemplates the construction over it by action of ingredients of the coating on of a sign which in general procedure of its manuthe ink of the design. This is particularly true facture duplicates the manufacture of a decalcoof solvents in lacquers which are now extensively mania transfer. The outstanding distinction is used. the substitution of a transparent sheet for the Another type of decalcomania has first a transusual paper base, the transparent sheet to be perparent nitrocellulose coat over the gum of the manentlya part of the sign in contrast to the gummed paper. The design is then applied on temporary character of the paper base. Another, this transparent coat rather than on the gum and naturally following, distinction is the elimi v 3 surface. Such transfers on peeling off the paper nation of the gum layer which permits removal present a nitrocellulose film over the design. But of the paper base. when this film is again coated with a finish con- Inthe making of a sign by and for the present taining solvents for nitrocellulose, or the material invention I provide first a preferably flexible, of the film, the solvent is conducted through the transparent, film or sheet which is insoluble and 35 filmand subjects theinkof'the design to injury. unafiected by solvents or ingredients in such a Much trouble has been encountered in the art finishing'coat as may be placed over it. I prefer because of injury to signs and transfers upon to use a sheet of cellulose regenerated from visplacing a finishing coat over an article on which cose, but I do not consider the invention is limited such a design has been applied. to such material. It is the property of the mate- 40 The present invention aims to overcome the rial in its relation to the ingredients of finishing difficulties by providing over the ink of the design. coats that interests me, rather than the specific a transparent coating which is resistant to pasmaterial itself. A thinshe'et of mica could be sage of solvents through it. employed but it is of course not so practical, for One object is to employ over the exposed face obvious reasons. A thin sheet of transparent in- 45 of the design a cellulose or similar sheet or film. soluble resin substance,- such as phenol-conden- I Another object is to employ a moisture-proofed sation products could be used, but likewise these cellulose film over the exposed face of the design. are not so practical as regenerated cellulose. Still another object is the formation of a sign Because regenerated cellulose is quite absorbuseful like a decal'comania transfer, which disent of water and moisture w ch may alter its 50 penses with the gummed paper base of such a. form by shrinkage, I may first moisture-proof transfer, and hence which in use dispenses with the sheet. J

the removal of and waste of such paper base. This is of practical value for the reason that I Various other objects and advantages of the the sheet is the vehicle for the design, and it is invention will appear from the following descripdesired not to injure the design. The water- J 55 tion of the invention for which the accompanying proofing is preferably placed on both sides of the sheet, but it may be placed only on the exposed side which does not carry the ink. For cellulose base sheets I prefer touse a nitrocellulose lacquer coating as the moisture proofing agent. Be cause the exposed surface is thus protected, the sign may be handled without danger of moisture of the hands impairing the sign by shrinkage of the cellulose. Of course other base materials which do not absorb moisture do notrequire the moistureproofing, nor does the cellulose film require it as an essential part of the invention.

The design is then applied to the transparent film. The cellulose sheet which is not moistureproofed on both sides receives the impression di-' rectly on the cellulose surface. If it has been moisture-proofed on both sides as above described, it is applied on one proofing coat, such as the nitrocellulose. The design may have a backing coat which may be considered as a part of the. design, and which provides an exposed surface that is cemented or applied to the article or surface that is to bear the sign.

In the accompanying drawing Figs. 1 and 4 illustrate an article 10 to which a sign has been applied and on which, over the sign a finishing coat 11 has been applied, such as nitrocellulose lacquer. A cement 12 is indicated by which the sheetsign has been anchored. The sheet sign is carried by a transparent base 13 which may be the cellulose sheet or the moisture-proofed cellulose sheet above described. The areas 14 indicate insignia'such as ink impressions on a background 15 which may be an enamel lacquer over the ink design, and in reality a part of the de- Fig. 2 is a more detailed viewof the sheet sign as a unitary structure, showing a transparent cellulose sheet lfi'having on the outside a moisture proofing layer 17, such as nitrocellulose. An ink design 18 is impressed on the other cellulose surface. A background coat 19 is also indicated.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows a cellulose film 20 having a moisture proofing coat, such as nitrocellulose on both sides, the outside being 21, and the other side being 22, the latter one bearing the ink design 23 and the backing coat 24.

In using regenerated cellulose I provide a cheap base, which is highly transparent and flexible and tough, and which may be made very thin. It provides an excellent surface for receiving a finish. It also provides an excellent surface for receiving a moisture-proofing coat. I

In using nitrocellulose lacquers for the moisture proofing coat or coats I provide a substance which is cheap and effective, and easily applied. It provides an excellent surface for receiving the ink or the finishing coat referredto, from which the ink is to be protected. I may use a moisture proofing nitrocellulose film which contains emollient, as well known in the art, to give it softness and flexibility, thus preserving the benefits of flexibility of the cellulose. I

When the sign is applied any finishing coat may be applied over it. If there is water in the coat, the nitrocellulose moisture-proofing coat on the cellulose protects the cellulose from the water. If the 'finish contains a nitrocellulose solvent, the cellulose will not conduct'it to the ink of the, design. Likewise, the cellulose will protect the ink of the design from action or injury by any ink solvent in the finishing coat.

The invention thus permits the formation of a flexible sheet sign which can be applied by a cement to some article and then coated with a finishing coat without injury to the design.

The sign itself is an improvement over the ordinary decalcomania transfer, disregarding the application of a finishing coat, for the reason that the ink design is or may be protected by a cellulose or similar film or one or two water-proofing coatings. There is no necessity of wetting to remove the usual paper vehicle, no waste of that paper, and no hiding of the design prior to application. 7 I

It will be readily understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the arrangements herein disclosed without in any way departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A finished article comprising a body, a sheet sign cemented to said body, and a finishing coat over said sign and body, said sheet sign being a unitary structure having a transparent vehicle sheet, an ink 'design facing into and carried by said sheet, said sheet having the property of excluding ingredients of the finishing coating on application thereof from the ink of the design,

said sign being cemented with the design side to the body.

2. A finished article comprising a body, a sheet sign cemented to said body, and a nitrocellulose finishing coating over said sign and said body, said sign being a unitary structure having a transparent vehicle sheet of cellulose, an ink design facing into and carried by said sheet, said sign being cemented with the design side to the body,

said cellulose having the property of excluding ingredients of the finishing coating on applications thereof from the ink of the design.

3. A finished article comprising a body, a sheet .sign cemented to said body, and a nitrocellulose finishing coating over said sign and said body, said sign being a unitary structure having a transparent vehicle-sheet of regenerated cellulose, a film of nitrocellulose on one side of said sheet, an ink design facing into and carried by said sheet at the other side, said sign being cemented with the design side to the body, said cellulose having the property of excluding ingredients of the finishing coating on application thereof from the ink of the design.

JOHN S. MITCHELL. 

